"Akitri wake up, if your late for morning meal, father is going to kill you!" my older and annoying sister As'wang shouted at me from a branch below. I groaned and grumbled, then I sat up in the nook of Hometree I decided to sleep in last night. I already know that Ma Sanok (my father) is going be on me today, because I didn't return to the alcove last night. I was in one hell of a day. And my troubles were only just beginning.

I quickly jumped up from where I had nestled myself. One of my favorite spots in Kelutral. A nook in a branch just above the nivis (hammocks). I can overlook everything going on in Kelutral. I stretched, and then rose from my little nook, and proceeded down to the area where morning meals were held. I tried to sneak over behind Ninat, but my mother spotted me.

"Akitri!" my mother shouted, sounding unhappy. I froze in my spot, the only thought going through my mind was, dammit.

"Ye..yes mother?" I answered innocently. It didn't work.

"Come over here now! Do you have any idea how worried your father and I were?!" she screamed causing several heads to turn to attention. I started to walk over there, then I saw my father rise from his conversation with Eytukan. I saw Neytiri give me a look of pity. That kind of made my anger flare really quickly, but it subsided as soon as it had begun. My father was moving toward me and he didn't look happy. A quick flash of fear ran through my body. But then as quickly as it had come I steeled myself. I looked my father straight in the eyes, and then he raised his hand to me and struck me across my face. I spun and fell to the ground. I heard several gasps from other clan members.

"How many times do I have to tell you if you're not going to sleep in the alcove to at least let us know?!" he asked but I knew it wasn't a question. Eytukan began to walk over to stop him but then my anger flared quickly. I rose with quick speed, and then I shouted at him

"Come on then, fight me! Fight your own son, you'd probably have a better time of doing that, because you are too scared to fight the Gittish, and the Akolians!" He looked stunned and then anger rose in him.

"You ungrateful little brat!" he swung again this time I dodged it. Then my mother intervened.

"Don't you ever talk to your father like that again! Bow your neck to him." I stood for a minute defiantly. Then she said "Do it!" I finally reluctantly submitted and bowed my neck to my father.

"Now get out of my sight you little brat!" he screamed. And with that I scampered off into the crowd of the clan members.